I. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to wireless communications, and more specifically to techniques for managing handoff operations between wireless communication networks.
II. Background
Wireless communication networks can provide various communication services; for instance, voice, video, packet data, broadcast, messaging services, etc. These networks can be multiple-access networks capable of supporting communications for multiple terminals by sharing available network resources. Examples of such multiple-access networks include Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) networks, Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) networks, Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) networks, and Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) networks.
Generally, a wireless multiple-access communication network can simultaneously support communications for multiple wireless terminals. In such a network, each terminal can communicate with one or more base stations via transmissions on the forward and reverse links. The forward link (or downlink) refers to the communication link from the base stations to the terminals, and the reverse link (or uplink) refers to the communication link from the terminals to the base stations. This communication link can be established via a single-in-single-out (SISO), multiple-in-signal-out (MISO), or a multiple-in-multiple-out (MIMO) network.
As wireless communication technology becomes more advanced, seamless mobility and service continuity between different mobile networks, which can utilize dissimilar access methods from one another, becomes increasingly important. Seamless mobility among dissimilarly-accessed networks can be facilitated by prepared handoffs among networks. Such handoffs can be enabled through inter-access system preparation. Various techniques exist for providing handoff preparation across networks. For example, inter-network preparation can be conducted by access terminals enabled to communicate on two radio technologies simultaneously. However, conducting network preparation in this manner prevents the use of low-cost terminal hardware with multi-mode radio capability. Alternatively, an interface between mobility management entities of dissimilarly-accessed networks can be provided such that a first network can utilize the interface to prepare resources at a second network. However, such technique requires different radio technologies to be able to communicate with one another, it necessarily requires a complex standardization effort among the different radio technologies. Furthermore, such standardization, if at all possible, may not be practical among the already deployed networks.
Accordingly, there exists a need for techniques for a system supporting improved inter-network handoffs between wireless communication networks.